Do I need a DNI to use Peanut in Argentina?

No. Peanut accepts passport or national ID card from any country. The Argentine DNI is required for most local financial services — opening a bank account, getting a CVU, or creating a Mercado Pago account. Foreigners cannot get a DNI without residency.Peanut removes that barrier. Verify with your passport in under 2 minutes and start paying at over 1,000,000 merchants via Mercado Pago QR, or withdraw cash from Red ATMs. No local ID, no local bank account, no CVU needed.

What exchange rate does Peanut use in Argentina?

Peanut uses the cripto dólar rate — the direct digital-dollar-to-ARS market rate. This yields 5-8% more pesos per dollar than the MEP rate that credit cards, Wise, and most international services use.Cards convert through two steps (digital dollars to USD to ARS via MEP). Peanut converts in one step directly to ARS. That eliminates one conversion layer and gives you access to the market rate instead of the regulated MEP rate. The rate locks when you confirm — no slippage.

Where can I pay with Peanut in Argentina?

Mercado Pago QR: Over 1,000,000 merchants across Argentina — supermarkets (Carrefour, Dia, Coto, Jumbo), restaurants, cafes, street food, kiosks, clothing, electronics, and pharmacies. If you see a Mercado Pago QR code, Peanut works.Cash ATMs: Withdraw pesos from any Red ATM using cardless QR withdrawal. Available in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, Ushuaia, and other major cities.Not supported: MODO and Cuenta DNI QR codes use incompatible formats and do not work with Peanut.

How much does Peanut cost?

Peanut charges no fees on deposits, payments, or withdrawals. The exchange rate you see is the rate you pay — everything is included. Even with the rate as-is, the cripto dólar is 5-8% better than the MEP rate cards and international services use. Gas fees on digital dollar deposits and withdrawals are covered by Peanut. ATM operators may charge a small network fee on their end.

Is Peanut faster than Wise or Western Union for Argentina?

It depends on the transfer type.Peanut-to-Peanut transfers (between Peanut accounts) are always instant — milliseconds.Peanut-to-network payments depend on the destination: Mercado Pago payments are instant because Mercado Pago itself settles instantly. ATM cash withdrawals are instant once you scan the QR.Compared to alternatives: Wise bank transfers to Argentina take 1-2 business days. Western Union takes hours to 1 day for cash pickup, or 1-3 days for bank deposits. Peanut via Mercado Pago or ATM is instant — because those local networks are instant, and Peanut is the only service that gives foreigners access to them without a DNI.

Can I send money to someone in Argentina who doesn't have Peanut?

Yes. Create a Peanut Link — a one-time payment link you share via WhatsApp, text, email, or any messaging app. The recipient clicks the link and can claim the funds by creating a Peanut account, withdrawing to their Mercado Pago, withdrawing to their Argentine bank, or cashing out at a Red ATM. They get pesos at the cripto dólar rate. No app needed on their end to cash out.

What cities in Argentina does Peanut work in?

Peanut works nationwide wherever Mercado Pago QR is accepted — over 1,000,000 merchants across Argentina.ATM cash withdrawal is available in cities with Red ATMs: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, and Ushuaia, among others. Find the nearest location at red-atm.com.ar.

Pay Like a Local in Argentina

Get the cripto dólar rate — approximately 5-8% better than cards (estimate, 2026). Pay at 1M+ merchants via Mercado Pago QR. No DNI needed, no fees.

Get Early Access

Peanut gives you access to the cripto dólar exchange rate in Argentina — approximately 5-8% better than the MEP rate used by credit cards, Wise, and PayPal (estimate, as of 2026). Most cards and banks charge 3-20% above mid-market on top of that worse rate. Peanut charges no fees. Top up your balance from anywhere in the world, then pay at over a million merchants using Mercado Pago QR codes or withdraw cash from ATMs across Argentina.

Whether you're a tourist exploring Buenos Aires, a digital nomad working remotely from Mendoza, or sending money to family in Córdoba, Peanut removes the ID barrier that locks foreigners out of local payment systems. No DNI required — verify with your passport in under 2 minutes, and start paying the way Argentines pay.

How It Works

1
Deposit from anywhere
Fund your account from any bank or exchange. SEPA transfers from Europe arrive in under 20 minutes. ACH from the US takes 1-3 business days. Or send digital dollars from any exchange or wallet — gas fees covered. All deposits are free.
2
Your balance stays in dollars
Your money is held in digital dollars until you spend it. No fluctuation between deposit and payment — you choose when to convert.
3
Pay locally in Argentina
Scan any Mercado Pago QR code at restaurants, supermarkets, cafes, kiosks, or shops. Your digital dollars convert to pesos at the cripto dólar rate — 5-8% better than what cards give you. Or withdraw pesos from any Red ATM using cardless QR withdrawal.
4
Instant settlement
The merchant receives pesos immediately in their Mercado Pago account. They see a normal Mercado Pago payment — Peanut is invisible on their end.

Where You Can Pay

Mercado Pago QR

Mercado Pago is Argentina's dominant QR payment network, accepted at over 1,000,000 merchants nationwide. Supermarkets like Carrefour, Dia, Coto, and Jumbo. Restaurants and cafes. Street food vendors and kiosks. Clothing stores, electronics shops, and pharmacies. If you see a Mercado Pago QR code — printed sticker or on-screen display — Peanut works there.

How it works: Open the app, tap "Pay," and scan the merchant's QR code with your camera. You'll see the merchant name, the amount in pesos, and the exchange rate. Confirm, and the merchant gets pesos instantly.

No DNI needed. Traditional Mercado Pago accounts require an Argentine DNI, which foreigners cannot get without residency. Peanut bypasses that — verify with your passport in under 2 minutes, and you're paying into the Mercado Pago network without needing a local account.

Info

Peanut works only with Mercado Pago QR codes. MODO and Cuenta DNI use incompatible QR formats and are not supported.

Full guide: Pay with Mercado Pago

Cash ATM Withdrawal

Withdraw pesos from any Red ATM using cardless QR withdrawal. Available 24/7 across major Argentine cities: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, and Ushuaia. Find Red ATM locations at red-atm.com.ar.

How it works: Open the app, tap "Withdraw," select "Cash Pickup." Enter the peso amount — the app shows the exact exchange rate and dollar charge. Confirm and generate a one-time QR code. Go to a Red ATM, select "Retiro sin tarjeta" (cardless withdrawal) or the QR icon, scan your QR code within the 60-second timer, and collect your pesos.

Fees: Peanut charges nothing for ATM withdrawals. The ATM operator may charge a small network fee — this is set by the ATM, not by Peanut, and is displayed on the ATM screen before you confirm.

Tips: Withdraw during banking hours (10am-3pm) when ATMs are freshly loaded. If the QR timer expires, simply generate a new one and scan again.

Exchange Rate: The Cripto Dólar Advantage

Argentina has multiple exchange rates. The official rate is set by the government. The MEP rate (Mercado Electrónico de Pagos) is what foreign credit cards, Wise, and most international services use to convert USD to ARS. The cripto dólar is the direct digital-dollar-to-ARS market rate — no USD intermediary, no regulated conversion step.

When you pay with a credit card in Argentina, your money converts through two steps: digital dollars become USD at the card network's rate, then USD becomes ARS at the MEP rate. Both steps extract value. Peanut converts directly to ARS in one step at the cripto dólar rate, which yields approximately 5-8% more pesos per dollar than the MEP rate (estimate, as of 2026 — rates fluctuate with market conditions). On top of that gap, cards and banks charge 3-20% above mid-market. Peanut charges no fees.

Rate lock: The rate you see on the confirmation screen is the rate you pay. It locks at the moment of payment — no slippage, no post-transaction adjustments. What you see is what you get.

Real savings example: A $50 dinner costs about $59 on a credit card after the MEP rate and card fees. With Peanut, it costs about $50. A digital nomad spending $2,000/month saves $170-500/month compared to cards. Over a year, that's $2,000-6,000 in savings.

Compare Peanut's rate to other services:

Skip the Waitlist

Who Uses Peanut in Argentina

Tourists

You arrive in Buenos Aires. Restaurants, cafes, and shops display Mercado Pago QR codes everywhere, but your credit card gives you the MEP rate plus 3-5% in foreign transaction fees. International ATMs charge $5-10 per withdrawal and give you an even worse rate — often 15-35% below market. Airport exchange booths are 20-40% worse. The blue dollar street exchange offers a better rate but comes with counterfeit risk and safety concerns.

Peanut solves this on day one. Verify with your passport, deposit from your bank or exchange, and start scanning QR codes at the cripto dólar rate. No DNI, no local bank account, no CVU required. You pay like a local from the moment you land.

Send money to Argentina

Digital Nomads

You're living in Argentina for months, working remotely, paying rent and daily expenses in pesos. Every card transaction costs you 5-10% in rate losses and fees. You can't open a bank account without a DNI, which requires residency. Wire transfers from your home bank take days and still give you the MEP rate.

Peanut gives you local payment access without the paperwork. Scan Mercado Pago QR codes at over a million merchants. Withdraw cash when you need it. Pay your landlord, settle up with friends, split dinner — all at the cripto dólar rate. Over a year, the 5-8% rate advantage on every transaction adds up to thousands of dollars in savings.

Remittances

Sending money to family or friends in Argentina? Traditional services like Western Union charge 5-10% in fees and deliver pesos at the MEP rate or worse. Bank wires take 1-3 days and cost $25-80 in fees. PayPal charges 3-4% and requires both parties to have accounts.

With Peanut, you send digital dollars from anywhere. The recipient gets a Peanut Link, claims the funds, and withdraws instantly to their Mercado Pago, their bank, or cash at an ATM. They receive pesos at the cripto dólar rate — 5-8% better. No app required on their end if they just want to cash out.

Send from the US to Argentina

Remote Workers Paying Contractors

Paying contractors in Argentina through wires takes days and costs $30-50 per transaction. PayPal charges 4-5% and the recipient loses more on withdrawal. Wise is faster but still uses the MEP rate.

Peanut settles instantly. Send dollars — the contractor receives pesos in their Mercado Pago or bank at the cripto dólar rate. That 5-8% better rate means they get more value from the same payment, or you spend less to deliver the same peso amount. Contractors can also hold their balance in digital dollars and convert when ready.

Info

You don't need a DNI (Argentine national ID) to use Peanut in Argentina. Verify with any passport in under 2 minutes.

Getting Started

Verification

Peanut uses passport or national ID verification — no DNI required. The process takes under 2 minutes for most users. Upload a photo of your ID and take a quick selfie. Approval is usually instant.

Your identity documents are handled by a certified third-party verification provider. Peanut never sees or stores your documents — they only receive a yes/no verification result. Your privacy stays intact.

Spending limit: $2,000/month combined (deposits, withdrawals, and payments) for users in Latin America. Can be increased with additional documentation. No hard limit for users in the US and EU.

Deposit Options

From Europe (36 SEPA countries): Free SEPA transfer in EUR. 90% arrive in under 20 minutes. The fastest way to fund your account from Europe.

From the US: Free ACH transfer (1-3 business days) or wire transfer (same-day; your bank may charge $25-80). For speed, deposit digital dollars from an exchange instead — arrives in minutes.

From anywhere: Send digital dollars from any exchange or wallet. Supported networks include Solana, Arbitrum, Base, Tron, Polygon, Avalanche, and Ethereum. Gas fees covered by Peanut. No minimum deposit.